The Labor enquirer., 1887-01-08
DENVER, COLORADO SATURDAY. JANUARY g. 1851

in winter; the poverty Of hls tenement
is apparent even to him; his saving
must come. sthen. either from food or
dFins. A scisntiAc analysis may prov
that nouris6msnt ID contained in the
food prescribed for him III he have op+
portunity to see such analysis) but the
food must be hastily prepared and
hastily eaten; and the temptation to
what the wealthy might call extrava-
gance f,f him. is a natural temptation
and is born Of physical desire for bet
ter food,
The consideration Of the question Of
saving IN the matter of drinking intoxi-
catingliquors involves the discussion Of
the question Of temperance. That it
would be vastly better II this accursed
habit could be obliterated. all would
confess but the drinking habits Of the
people are consequent largely upon the
conditions of life, aud without believing
in the theory that alcohol Is food. still
there is some truth IN the saying that
"liquor is meat without bones The
liquor habit is born of a demand for an
artificial stimulant, consequent upon the
lack of sufficient natural. healthful slim,
ulant, Of proper food. and physical and
mental exercise. It furnish es the op-
portunities ofa social life to the extreme
classes Of society. The bar room is the
club Of many workingmen; place Of
resort for social expression. The organ
lied labor movement is accomplishing
more than all other forms Of organizs-
ton. both in the direction Of furnishing
opportunities for social gatherings aud
the stimulant Of awakened thought.
A Scotch physician once said that if
he could control the kitchen he could
abolish the bar room. This is an ex-
treme statement, but conta ns much
truth.
We could have added to the control OF
the kitchen the providing of the parlor
and the sitting room with those attrac
tions from which tired man could not
easily be tempted. The abolition of the
drink habit will come from the increased
leisure and increased wealth that pro-
gress is sure to bring. Every effort to
eliminate this terrible waste meets with
the approval of all who desire the ele-
vation of the toller.
The truggle of the wage workers life
is a struggle upwards; every effort to
secure more time to himself. and more
wealth to himself, should be assisted,
not only by philanthropists but by
statesmen. Whatever tends to debsse
or brutalize him. forces downward.
Individual capitalism fiuds itself in
competent to deal with the vast enter
prises uecessitated bv orr rapid growth
in population aud wealth; hence the in.
PRODUCTION of the system of the CO. opera
ton of capitalists in joint stock COM pan
les, corporations and svndicates. Pub
lie sentiment and government have both
greatly assisted the capitalists in the eff
forts of combination. Subsidies have
been granted, protective tariff laws en-
acted, charters granted. empires Of land
given, and the credit Of the government
loaned to assist combined capital to con
quer the Instructions in the way of their
~ H
The labor movement seeks, through
public agitation, to command the public
sentiment in the workingmen's favor.
Their combination in Traies Unions,
Brotherhoods aud in the Knights of
Labor are efforts in the same direction
as those Of their capitalistic su eriors.
Their individual power is no. sufficient
for self protection; it is only by the
union of their forces and the union of
their dollars that they can command
the resp .ctful attention Of the public.
In their onward struggle they have to
meet not only the active opposition of
those directly antagonistlc interests but
the greater opposition Of the apathy of
the unthinking ones of their own num-
bers.
The classes that are contented in pow
erty are the most dangerous clas sses.
Satisfied to struggle on under old condi-
tions of labor while new conditions Of
civilization are constantly developing,
they are left still further behind In the
race. =
Opposition to the organization of the
laborers properly interpreted means,
opposition to the continuance Of repub
lican institutions. In the struggle for
life, more and more intelligence is re-
quired. The moral Instructions in the
way of this ever-present development
are many. II virtue is its own reward,
the majority Of men are not satisfied
with such compensation. Vice seems
full of pleasure, aud the great acquisi
tions Of wealth do not seem to be a spe-
cial result of any great development of
viftue in the possessor. As long as
wealth continues to be the standard OF
promotion or worth in society. the
moral impulse Of the community will be
lessened- Men learn by object lessons
more than by any other kind Of teach
ing. They see wealth, and poverty I;
and. in their opinion, the poor are as